Immigrant rights rally on the mall in Washington.

U.S. Immigrants Rally by the Thousands
AP Photo MOJF105
Monday April 10, 2006 9:01 PM

ATLANTA (AP) - Tens of thousands of immigrants spilled into the streets in dozens of cities across the nation Monday in peaceful protests that some compared to the movements led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and farm-labor organizer Caesar Chavez.
``People of the world, we have come to say this is our moment,'' said Rev. James Orange of the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda in Atlanta, where police estimated that at least 50,000 people marched Monday morning.
At the Mississippi Capitol, 500 demonstrators sang ``We Shall Overcome'' in Spanish. In Pittsburgh, protesters gathered outside Sen. Arlen Specter's office to make their voices heard as Congress considers immigration reforms.
Groups in North Carolina and Dallas called for an economic boycott by immigrants to show their financial impact.
The rallies had a noticeable impact on production at Excel Corp. plants in Dodge City, Kan., and Schuyler, Neb., a spokesman for the nation's second largest beef processor said. He said there was a slowdown, but the company had no intention of taking action workers who were gone for the day.
``We assume they will be back at work tomorrow,'' spokesman Mark Klein said. >>> cont